Frequently Asked Questions

How the Courses Work ?

Q. How do the WildlifeCampus Courses work ?
A. All the WildilfeCampus courses are correspondence courses offered online over the Internet. You may access the material online or download it in .pdf (acrobat) format.

Our most popular courses (Field Guiding, Wildlife Management & Game Lodge Management) are also offered in a traditional paper-based format, where the course material is posted to students and the associated assignments are completed via post, e-mail or fax.

Q. Do I have to be online to do the assessments ?
A. For the online courses, Yes, however these are generally short 10 - 20 question tests, in True/False and multiple choice format.

They are automated, and may be taken at anytime, your assessment is instantaneous. At the conclusion of a successful test you have the option to view the correct answers. The tests may be taken as many times as needed until passed. Once a test is passed it cannot be re-taken.

The tests can also be easily printed.

Q. How do the tests work for the Offline Courses ?
A. You are required to complete and send in 4 or 5 Assignments, one assignment per Guide Book.

These assignments constitute the full assessment and testing requirements for the courses. There are no final exams to complete.

In order gain the qualification, all assignments must be successfully completed with a passmark of 65% required. Should you not achieve the 65% requirement, you will be requested to re-submit the assignment.

When do I receive the Course content I have just purchased ?

Q. When do I receive the Online Course Content I have just purchased ?
A. Since the Course Content is in DIGITAL FORM you will have instant access to the material.

All you need to do is click the My Courses button , and you will be taken to your own personal content page, where all your course content can be accessed.

Q. When do I receive the Offline Course Content I have just purchased ?
A. The course content is immediately couriered to you as soon as payment has been confirmed. It may also be collected from our Sandton offices by prior arrangement.

Are you having problems with our Checkout?

Q. I cannot purchase courses from the website.
A. If you cannot pay through our system, e-mail us at info@wildlifecampus.com

or use the Contact Us page.

Billing

Q. How long do I have to wait until my credit card payment has been accepted ?
A. This may depend on where you are in the world. Verification of your credit card details generally takes between 10 and 60 seconds.

Q. Since the prices are all in South African Rands (ZAR), how do I pay in my local currency ?
A. If your credit card account is not in South African Rands, our payment gateway automatically converts your purchase into your local currency.

Your bank statement will reflect the purchase in your local currency. Due to currency fluctuations, there might be a slight difference in your local currency amount, paid from your date of purchase to that reflected on your statement.

Q. What information will be reflected on my credit card statement.
A. Since WildlifeCampus is a division of Ripple Effect 4 (Pty) Ltd., the creditor on your statement will be this company, and not WildlifeCampus.

Your bank statement should reflect the SA Rand amount of your purchase converted into your local currency.

The amount converted from SA Rands is done at the international exchange rate on your date of purchase.

Offline Payments

Q. Can I purchases course offline without a credit card ?
A. Certainly. Simply add a course(s) as though you were going to pay by credit card. Then, instead of proceeding through our online payment gateway, click the "purchase offline" link. This will send us your request and we'll contact you directly.

If you have any questions, please e-mail us at info@wildlifecampus.com or use the Contact Us page.

Login Issues

Q. I'm having difficulty logging in with the details received when registering, what can I do ?
A. If you have forgotten your password but recall your Login Name, you may retrive your password from the Login page.

You are welcome to contact us by phone (011 656 1601 Office Hours Only) or e-mail info@wildlifecampus.com and we will retrieve your Login details.

Certificates

Q. What is a Certificate Course ? What is a non Certificate Course ?
A. A Certificate Course is a course where successful graduates are issued a Certificate.
Non-Certificate Course are interest courses and no Certificates are issued to graduates.

Q. Which of the WildlifeCampus Courses are Certificate Courses ?
A.
  1. Field Guiding
  2. Wildlife Management
  3. Digital Wildlife Photography
  4. Captute, Care & Mngt of Wildlife
  5. Trails Guiding
  6. Game Lodge Management
  7. Game Ranch Economics
  8. Snakes & Reptiles
  9. Behaviour Guide to African Herbivores, Primates, Carnivores & Mammals of the Lowveld
  10. Marine Biology
  11. Astronomy
  12. Survival
  13. Wilderness Navigation
  14. Medically Important Spiders
  15. Human Wildlife Conflicts
  16. Geology & Palaeontology
  17. Tracks & Signs

Q. Which of the WildlifeCampus Courses are Non-Certificate Courses ?
A.
  1. The Big '5'
  2. African Folklore
  3. Birding by Habitat
  4. The Guides Guide to Guiding
  5. The FGASA Exam Preparation
  6. Discovering Wilderness
  7. Mountain Guiding
  8. Predator Management of Livestock Farms

No Certificates will be issued to graduating students for these courses.

However Certificates of Completion may be requested at a cost of R 100.00 each

Q. I've lost my Certificate, can it be re-issued ?
A. Yes, Certificates that may need to be re-issued will be re-issued at a cost of R 100.00 each. This includes postage or they may be collected.

Certificates can also be scanned and e-mailed upon request.

Q. When will I receive my Certificate ?
A. All the Certificates earned are immediately processed, printed and posted once weekly.

Certificates are only posted to students who have fully paid for the course graduated. Certificates for courses completed under our Subscription option are subject to different terms and conditions; please see the Subscription page for details.

Copyright

Q. Are the images and text protected by copyright ?
A. Yes they are. All imagery and text seen on WildlifeCampus is protected by copyright and remains the property of Ripple Effect 4 (Pty) Ltd, unless the specific image or text bears an alternative copyright notice or reference. All downloaded files, components and PDF files are fully copyrighted as above.

Q. May I copy and use the images ?
A. Imagery that belongs to WildlifeCampus / AfriCam may be copied for personal use only. Imagery that bears copyright information from a source other than AfriCam may not be used in any form.

Q. I want to use specific images for commercial purposes, what do I do ?
A. Please direct any requests for using imagery commercially to info@wildlifecampus.com

or use the Contact Us page.

Course Assessment

Q. How do the tests work ?
A. There is a short assessment for each of the Components of a Course.

For example since the Game Ranging Course has 82 Components, there are 82 short tests for this course.

Q. How do I access the tests ?
A. When you open a course component, you'll see a Take the Test option in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

You may attempt the assessment at anytime, although we recommned that you review the course material first.

Q. What is the format of the tests ? What do they look like ?
A. The assessments are in the form of True/False and Multiple Choice format. There are between 10 and 30 questions per test, depending on the length of the Component.

Q. Is there a final exam for any of the Courses ?
A. No, the form of continuous assessment described above constitutes the complete examination process for the WildlifeCampus Courses.

Q. What happens if I fail my assessment ?
A. You may redo any assessment as many times as you need to until you attain a passing grade of 60%. There is no charge for re-taking the test. However, once you have passed, you can''t take it again to get a better grade, without re-purchasing that component

FREE Courses

Q. How do I get the Free Courses ?
A. Simply Register (it's free) from the homepage.

The FREE Courses will be automatically assigned to you when you register and are immediatly available when you login.

Q. Which Courses are FREE ?
A.
  1. The Big “5”
  2. Mountain Guiding
  3. Elephants: Facts & Fables
  4. Predator Management on Livestock Farms
  5. Discovering Wilderness

Q. Can I get Certificates for completing the Free Courses ?
A. Certificates are not automatically issued for completing the free courses. However, should you wish to receive one, they may be redeemed at a cost of R 100.00.

Please info@wildlifecampus.com contact us for the procedure.

FREE Components

Q. I see that when I login I have been assigned a great many Components that I didn't buy are these free ?
A. Yes, all students are automatically assigned one FREE Component from each online course on offer in addition to the FREE Courses. You are welcome to complete as many of these Free Components as you’d like.

The objective of the Free Components is to allow students to try our all the various online courses available.

Game Ranging, Field Guiding and Wildlife Management - what is the difference ?

Q. Game Ranging and Field Guiding ?
A. The term "Game Ranging" has become misunderstood following years of incorrect use. It is actually an historical term implying the physical management of conservation areas. However, it is now used to describe Field Guiding. The WildlifeCampus Game Ranging Certificate is in reality a Field Guiding Course.

Q. What does a Field Guide do?
A. Field Guides are primarily responsible for guiding tourists through conservation areas, either on foot or in vehicles.

Q. Game Ranging and Wildlife Management ?
A. Wildlife Management is essentially the modern term for Game Ranging.

Q. What does a Wildlife Manager do ?
A. The Wildlife Manager is concerned with all the aspects of managing a conservation area. This includes topics such as fire management, suitable game species, game capture and translocation, wildlife diseases and parasites, stocking rates, and the compilation of a wildlife management plan. As a career, a Wildlife Manager is tasked with assessing and analysing conservation areas and developing, designing and implementing strategies according to pre-determined objectives.

I have just bought a an ONLINE course, what happens now ?

Q. I have just bought a course, now what ?
A. As soon as your transaction has been completed, your course(s) will be immediately available from the My Courses page. By clicking on this button, you will be taken to the list of components, modules or full courses you have purchased.

Q. Will I be sent any course content by post ?
A. No, remember that all course content is delivered in an online format, only. You may however download the content in acrobat (.pdf) format, to either print or view offline.

Imagery

Q. Where does all the imagery come from ?
A. Wherever possible, we have used Africam highlights selected by the Africam community. However, a portion of the imagery has been kindly supplied by a number of additional sources.

You will recognise these images by the Embedded copyright. Should you wish to use any of these images, please contact WildlifeCampus for the owners contact details.

Many thank to our many contributing photographers.

Online Courses

Q. Do I have to complete the Game Ranging course before the Wildlife Management course ?
A. No: You may take any course in any order or in any combination. However, if you have no background in life sciences or natural sciences, the Game Ranging course is recommended as a good starting point. In addition, there are no entrance requirements or fixed starting dates for any of the WildlifeCampus courses. You may register for and begin any course at any time.

Q. Do I have to do all the components in a Module to qualify for Module completion?
A. Yes, all components within a Module must be completed in order to qualify for the associated Module Badge. However, all the components may be taken individually.

Once you have completed all the components in a Module you will be awarded with the appropriate Module Badge, which will be displayed on our "Top100" pages.

Registration

Q. Do I have to use my real e-mail address ?
A. Yes, it is very important that you supply your real e-mail address during registration. It is to this address that we will automatically e-mail you your password. Without your password you will be unable to access certain areas of the WildlifeCampus site.

Remember that registration is completely free of both cost and obligation.

Q. Do I need to wait for a semester to begin in order to register?
A. You may register and begin a course at any time that is convenient to you.

Security

Q. I am concerned about using my credit card on the internet. What can I do ?
A. We absolutely guarantee that your credit card details cannot be abused by on-line payments using our system.

Q. I don't have a credit card or prefer not to use one for an online purchase can I still buy the courses ?
A. If you prefer not to transact online, we are pleased to be able to offer you a wide range of offline purchase solution for both our Online and Offline Courses.

Please info@wildlifecampus.com contact us for the procedure.

Q. Can I pay with PayPal ?
A. Yes, you may purchase our courses with PayPal.

Student Discounts

Q. Do I receive a discount if I purchase more than one Course at a time ?
A. Absolutely. If you intend to purchase more than one course a ta time, please info@wildlifecampus.com contact us first and we'l assign a great discount (15 - 50%) to you, depending on which courses you intend to purchase.

Students who purchase a second will automatically receive 15% off their purchase, irrespective of how many Courses, Modules or Components are in your Shopping Cart.

Student Top 100

Q. How does the Student Top 100 work ?
A. The Top 100 is firstly calculated by the number of Modules and Components completed, and then by the average grade obtained in the Tests.

Username and Password

Q. What is my WildlifeCampus Password? I didn't get to choose one.
A. WildlifeCampus automatically selects a random password for you and e-mails it to you directly after a successful registration.

You are welcome to change it at anytime on your "My Details" page (Maroon Nav Bar).

Q. How secure are my username and password ?
A. Your username will be displayed on our Top 100 lists should you qualify. Your password however is totally secure and only you have the ability to view it and change it.

Accreditation

Q. Who accredits the Certificate in Game Ranging ?
A. This qualification is fully accredited by Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA).

FGASA - Field Guides Association of South Africa

Q. What do FGASA do ?
A. FGASA is the current regulatory body for Field Guiding in South Africa.

Q. Since WildlifeCampus are FGASA Accredited Trainers, do I automatically become FGASA accredited after completing the WildlifeCampus Game Ranging course?
A. No, FGASA still require you to join their organisation and pass their exams. Our accredited status means that FGASA have examined our courses and find that graduates of our Game Ranging Course will have no problem passing their theory exams (75 % required) on their Levels # 1 and # 2; and graduates of our SKS (DA) course will have no problem passing their SKS (DA) theoretical exam.

Q. What kind of courses does FGASA offer ?
A. None, they are only an examining body, they do not offer any of their own courses. Anyone may also simply join and write their exams without having completed a course previously. However, such candidates will struggle to pass thier exams without either prior experience or having completed a prior course.

Q. How do I become a legally qualified Guide ?
A.
  1. Get a FGASA theory qualification by writing a FGASA exam.
  2. Let a FGASA evaluator practically evaluate you for the theory level you have completed.
  3. Theory & practical evaluation will be RPL'd.
  4. FGASA qualification will be converted to a national qualification.
  5. FGASA will collect your national qualification from THETA.
  6. FGASA will send the certificate to you.
  7. Take the national certificate to DEAT.

Contact FGASA for more information.


Who are the courses for ?

Q. Who can register and complete the courses ?
A. Anybody may register and complete any of the courses. You may complete the courses for pure enjoyment or study for the full qualification. There are no entrance requirements of any kind.

Q. At which age group are the courses written for ?
A. For self-study we recommend that students be at least 14 years old. However, we encourage parents to log-on with younger children for an interactive learning experience.

Practical Courses

Q. Can I do the practical courses without doing the on-line courses ?
A. Yes, all of the practical courses may be taken without doing the on-line courses. Also any of the on-line courses may be done without having to do any of the practical courses.

Q. How can I find out more about the Practicals ?
A. Please visit our Practical Partners Page for more information and their direct contact details.

Q. Are these Practical Courses run by WildlifeCampus ?
A. No, all the associated practicals are run by separate companies, selected by WildlifeCampus as being industry leaders in their respective fields.

Work Opportunities

Q. If I pass the Full Game Ranging (Field Guiding) Qualification, where could I find employment ?
A. This qualification has been widely accepted by the South African wildlife and tourism industry.

Many past graduates are currently employed at many of South Africa's top game lodges.

We cannot, however, guarantee you a position. Neither can we comment on any work restrictions for non- South Africans.

Q. How do I go about finding employment in the Field Guiding and Lodge Management industry
A. Please visit our Employment Resources page: